Diamond Crevasse
by arcangelus
Summary: “I’ll meet you there…where the horizon ends…if you love me…” AU of ep 23-25. Sherylx Alto. Slight OOC in Alto. Dark. Angsty.


**Kwaaaaaaaaaa!!!!Sorry for so much OCness and emo-ness and AUness. this is my longest fic yet, i really hope you guys have the patience! thanka to Beta reader, you know how you are XD**

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Sounds of trickling water bubbled in the background. Alto drew his lover closer to him as a sudden breeze passed by.

It was hard to imagine how their relationship had started – they were no better than enemies. But, ironic like most things in life, the two somehow transformed into possibly the most loving couple on the fleet.

Another breath of wind swirled by them; around them; then across the veranda. Unable to pull Sheryl any closer, he settled with wrapping his arms over her bare shoulders.

"Alto, you'll squeeze me to death." She mumbled against his neck, lips touching skin.

"I don't want you to be cold." He replied as his finger twirled a lock of her blond hair. His arm seemed to draw her even closer.

The fairy let the subject to rest, despite hearing his underlying message: he was afraid to let her go. Yet, his masculine instincts prevented him from admitting it in front of her.

"I love you so much." She spoke again.

Alto needed this constant reminder.

…

As luck could have it, they were soon able to rent an apartment of some sort in the ruinous fleet. As much as he could, Alto took time to take care of Sheryl. On top of all the stresses and work with the NUNS as an officer, he had gotten used to the extra duties of cooking, cleaning, and washing. He did that all out of love, hoping that one day his girlfriend would somehow miraculously get better from the V-virus. Yet, everyday he came back home, he would see Sheryl thinner and paler, struggling to act normal and greet him.

Her sickness was not something that was talked about over the dinner table. They both knew the consequences of the virus and both decided to live in denial, mutually avoiding the topic in an unspoken contract.

"You should try talking to your father again." One evening Sheryl said, between sips of tea. "Call him, message him write a letter or something. He is getting old."

The pilot averted her gaze, "Why, did he call you up again?"

"He's trying hard to open up. I think you should do your share too." The fairy put down the cup and picked up her chopsticks. "I have always wanted a legitimate parent."

Alto glanced sheepishly at her, "What are you trying to say?"

"You know exactly what I'm trying to say." She delicately probed oysters Alto prepared. "You know, diamonds on platinum are all the rage?"

…

It was raining, and the General kept Alto later than usual. As soon as the pilot was dismissed, he dashed home to make dinner. Their apartment was unusually quiet tonight. Walking up the lonely stairs, his footsteps echoed hollowly, like drums…no, like bells tolling. He shook the ominous thought from his head and dug his hands into his pockets for the keys.

"I'm home!" he announced into the dark room. Funny, Sheryl habitually kept the place well lit. "Sheryl?" his voice dropped a bit, as he strained his ears for any signs of his girlfriend. With one hand, he flicked the light switches, still glancing around for her. "Sheryl?!"

_Huff Huff Huff Huff_

He dashed into their bedroom, where her soft, distressed voice came from.

He frantically clicked on the lights, revealing her thin frame, sprawled on the floor beside the bed.

"SHERYL!"

He knelt down close to her pale face, "Sheryl? What happened?" he touched her damp hair, "Did you just go outside?"

_Huff Huff Huff Huff_

He picked her up, resting her faded strawberry blond head on his shoulders. His heart wrenched at how light she had become.

_Huff Huff Huff Huff_

He ran across the room, down the stairs, out the door…

_Huff Huff Huff Huff_

The rain poured down on them like a punishment with the heavy swirling clouds of the black night howling.

_Huff Huff Huff Huff_

He raced across the streets, poorly lit my the few cars and streetlights nearby

_Huff Huff …Alto_

He tripped, and dashed against the cold, wet pavement. "SHERYL!" he hollered against the deafening storm. He did not notice that she had been bleeding, her blood now blended with the rainwater in a stale mixture, all over his already soaking clothes.

Alto pushed the slick hair from his face, trying to refocus despite his emotions.

The hospital. The hospital. He must get to the hospital.

He bent down to pick her up again and ran, this time holding on more tightly because of the slippery water.

"Alto." Her breath was cold against his neck. "The sky…."

"Yes Sheryl," he sounded desperate.

"You need the sky….Alto….are you taking me there?"

"Yes….yes…I am" his throat clenched as he kept running. The rain tasted bitter.

"I can…feel the…breeze…Alto…"

"Yes…." He voice was no longer audible to himself. He gasped hard for much needed air.

"Alto…you…you're like….a bird…." She coughed. He smelt metal.

"Sheryl, hang on, we're almost there." He could see the hospital lights now.

"I'll meet you there…where the horizon ends…if you love me…"

"Yes, yes, Sheryl, I love you, please, hang on. Please."

Her head fell limp on his shoulders.

His footsteps slowed. He screamed for them to keep going, but they kept slowing down. Until he stood in front of the hospital.

"Please. Sheryl. PLEASE. NO!! NO!! _NO!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH_" The unforgiving rain blurred his cries of agony as he collapsed.

…

"His health is in perfect conditions." The doctor spoke to Klan and Luca. "Blood pressure, glucose level, heart rate…in pristine condition."

The Meltran nodded in concern.

"He hadn't spoken since he came." The doctor added.

"Which had been three days." Luca reminded him

"By all means go and visit him, I see he'll be ready to leave in a day or two." With that, the doctor walked away to tend to another patient's relatives.

"Alto is lucky," Luca said to Klan, "The NUNS's next task for his squad is literally a suicide mission. The mission is to be lead by the second lieutenant until his recovery." He sighed "But I suspect there wouldn't be much to lead by then."

They walked over to his room and knocked the door.

No answer.

"Alto?" Klan called out.

Still no answer.

She opened the door, only to find his bed neatly made, on it, a lucky charm and a red string that used to tie his hair.

Luca froze.

No way.

No fucking way.

…

The Meltran sped into the Frontier base.

"Its your day off today!" a young pilot called out.

Ignoring him she dashed to the schedule board.

_Mission Sagittarius – Commander Saotome Alto – Start in 08:00 hour – Time 07:45_

What! Fifteen more minutes!

She took out her cell phone while running frantically towards the hangers.

That dumbass!

…

"Alto!" she called at him. He was already dressed in the suit, his arm carrying his helmet. He turned around at her voice.

Alto's change shocked her. He looked more mature like this, with his ponytail cut off, stray hairs framing his neck and face. He stood straighter, his jaws were set, his brow focused. His gaze was more refined, no doubt the product of intense grief.

"Come with me!"

"My mission starts in fifteen." His voice was deeper than when she last heard him.

She ignored his protest. "If you love Sheryl, come with me!"

Klan let him deep into the bass of Frontier, to places that even Alto was not wholly familiar with. Slide doors after slide doors led them to rooms he swore were not build for people to access easily. At last she came to a small corner, with a black iron entrance.

She faced him and took a deep breath. "Sheryl wanted this for you. The EX will never stand a chance out there."

She pressed the switched and scanned her iris, and then the gate slid open, revealing a wide chamber lit brightly with cold overhead lights.

In the centre was the Messiah.

Alto was surprised.

"Sheryl made…arrangements. She really wanted this mission to be successful."

"Who else knows about this?" he asked calmly.

"No one, your squad will find out soon enough when you get wired up to them, other than that….Leon helped."

Alto connected the dots in his head. Of course. Sheryl had the influences and the money. Leon had the means. That bastard doesn't care about anyone's health if he can win. Yet, somehow there was no anger in Alto.

He nodded at Klan. Sheryl wanted him to succeed, no matter the means. She had given her life for the cause. For him. Now it is his turn to give. This time, for her.

"I will pilot this." He headed for his fighter.

"Saotome!" the Meltran asked him in sudden curiosity, "What is the mission objective?"

"On the offensive. To save Ranka"

…

Maruyama was glad that the lieutenant was leading the squad again. Army statistics show that Saotome's leadership yield the highest rate of survival. The pilot reviewed his task in his head. Grab hold of the objective and run for it. The offensive team will back him up. The defensive team will open the way. The plan is foolproof. They were lucky that the objective is still transported in a fighter and not hidden somewhere impossible to locate or attack. The list of procedures was on his left screen, checked off after each at been achieved.

The left screen flashed again.

Objective gotten hold of – Check.

He opened the cockpit shield for the objective.

There was to be no loss of time there.

"Sagittarius -5! Ready!" his commander's voice sounded into this helmet.

"Roger!"

He felt rather than saw the objective being lowered into the backseat.

Escape with objective – Check.

He quickly slammed the transparent shield close and grabbed the accelerator levers. Gunshots hailed all around him, deflected by his comrades' counter attacks. He skilfully dodged a few stray shots.

"Run for it! I'm guarding your rear!" the commander's voice said again. Glancing at his radial map, he saw the Messiah boldly behind him.

"ROGER!" he answered in enthusiasm.

…

Alto screen flared desperately. Danger from behind.

That damn cyborg refuses to give up!

Alto swung around and leapt into his battroid mode, only to have his opponent do the same.

"Give my sister back or I'll shoot off your girly head." Brera challenged.

"Bring it, robot kid!" Alto initiated the first shots with his warhead, aiming for the cockpit. He barely dodged the return fire, sacrificing his gun pod on the way. He took hold of his machine gun and aimed for the weaker joints of his enemy's fighter. But this time Brera's return shots were not aimed for him but for Maruyama.

"Running out of bullets, blond boy?"

"Get out of the way." Brera prepared his beam gun.

"You'll take your sister down with him."

"You don't worry for me, only your pilot will die here."

Maruyama was drawing close to the defence line. Once he's past, mission is basically complete.

Alto's mind raced. He can't let Sheryl down. Never.

…

The rookie pilot sped on with all his might. His lieutenant's efforts will not go to waste.

His screen flashed suddenly, signalling danger.

On the radial map, a deadly lazer beam is heading his way. Too fast. Way too fast. He closed his eyes.

…

Alto felt hands guiding his hands. Yes. He knows what to do now; his VF made one last attempt in defence of his mission.

"_I'll meet you there…where the horizon ends…if you love me…"_

This is where the horizon ends.

Between Ranka and Brera.

The Planet and Frontier.

The stars and the universe.

Between everything is Sheryl and himself and their world, more beautiful than any emptiness, any silence. This is what she wanted.

He sees her now.

She comes to him.

_"Alto, you are likea bird." _

He took Sheryl in loving embrace, underneath the blinding light.

…

Mission Sagittarius Status - Complete


End file.
